On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about building a business as a watercolor artist with my guest Anne Butera.
Anne Butera is a self-taught artist who finds inspiration in the beauty of her garden and the magic of nature. She works primarily in watercolor but also loves challenging herself to try new things. She strives to seek out and celebrate life’s little joys and daily graces.
Anne writes the blog My Giant Strawberry; teaches in person and online; and sells her art, designs and fabric on her website and elsewhere on the web.
Anne’s paintings have been exhibited across the country and her art and writing have been published in magazines and in the book Botanica.
This episode is sponsored by Verve Leadership.
Creativity-based coaching
This episode is sponsored by Verve Leadership. Verve Leadership provides creativity-based coaching to individuals and organizations seeking to make greater impact in their work and have more fulfillment in their lives. Verve Leadership is pleased to offer a 20% discount on select coaching packages to CIA podcast listeners. Visit VerveLeadership.com/Craft to learn more.
In this interview, Anne and I begin by talking about her childhood. Anne’s parents were always hoping to move out to the countryside and she feels that this dream stuck with her into adulthood. Anne always loved books and the library and, after college, she worked in the library and really enjoyed that job for a long while. Later, though, a variety of circumstances led to her enjoying it less and it was time to make a change.
Anne talks about her first attempt to move to a more rural setting and why that didn’t work. She also talks about her first online creative business and blog, both of which she’s since moved on from. Finally, she and her husband were able to move to rural Wisconsin and Anne became a self-taught artist.
Anne began teaching workshops on Skillshare and has since filmed and published 23 Skillshare classes. She has fantastic tips to share about how to create an effective class, how to film a good trailer and more. If you’re interested in teaching online definitely tune into this episode!
In order to build a career as an artist, Anne has created multiple streams of income. We talk about her annual calendar, her Spoonflower fabric, her art prints, and all of the different ways she earns money. Anne also sends out a really beautiful and inspiring email newsletter. We discuss her newsletter strategy and the rewards she sees from cultivating an email list.
In this conversation, Anne references Mia Whittemore.
And, of course, I ask Anne to recommend great stuff she’s enjoying right now. Anne recommends:
- oracle cards by Lisa Estabrook and animal allies cards by Jessica Swift
- Canson XL Mix Media spiral bound sketchbooks
- Botanical Interests seed catalogs
Keep up with Anne on her blog, My Giant Strawberry, where you can sign up for her newsletter and follow her on Instagram to see her latest work.